network | Small Business Tech Tips

Recently I received a complaint about an extremely slow flow on a network. I conducted various scans on the network and did packet capturing analysis only to discover a unique and unusual case that I had never encountered before. I found a major bandwidth consumption by a few files trading on the network with the extension *.drg. I conducted a full research about this specific extension and its files, discovering that the .drg file extension is used for AllyCAD CAD design drawing files, AviSys bird watcher database files, Dyno2000 car design files, VLBI and Tied Array drudge tasking document files. After contacting the client with my findings, I concluded that none of his users were using the software listed above. I ran a full software scan and analysis and discovered that three of the network users had an app called i-Doser installed on their iPhones, and they were connected through the corporate WiFi.

By now you must be wondering, “What is i-Doser?” I-Doser is an application for Windows and iOS that you can find on the Internet. It is used to achieve a simulated feeling of a “drug” through the use of binaural beats. There are well over one hundred “doses” or “dosers”, and some can be incredibly hard to find. Most of the doses are named after prohibited recreational drugs. In other words, it’s a brainwave synchronization software which is used for mood alteration purposes. The DRG files contain stereo audio tracks that are recorded using the binaural recording techniques used by the software. The DRG files also contain information about the “dose” file and a screenshot image.

I was extremely curious about i-Doser and its concept. What pushed these employees to use digital drugs in the work environment? How effective are digital drugs? Should employers be alarmed? According to research on i-Doser’s website, 83% of its users have had at least one simulated experience occur. There is substantial evidence and research to support i-Doser’s claim that binaurals can help simulate a specific mood or experience. But I was definitely a skeptic, so I decided to try this i-Doser myself. After-hours, of course.

I chose a dose called “Gates of Hades.” I looked up the reviews online for it, and what I saw creeped me out. People were saying that it was the most frightening thing they’ve ever experienced, e.g. near-death experiences, OBEs, distortion of reality, loss of body image, strong visual and auditory hallucinations… the works. But, being the skeptic that I am, I decided to ignore all the talk and reviews. I said to myself, “People are just trying to scare each other.” So last night I plugged my HD headphones into my iPhone, laid in my dark room on my bed (as was recommended, in preparation for this specific dose), and proceeded to listen to “Gates of Hades.”

As a veteran of the United States Army, I have been deployed to combat zones and have experienced some horrifying experiences. After my experience with I-Doser, I have to admit the “Gates of Hades” dose is real, and it works.

After I finished listening to the full dose, I experienced unusual sensations and serious anxiety that stayed with me for almost a full hour. Maximum depression-like sensations. I was seeing colors darker than what they really are. This was like a living nightmare that I was trapped in for a full hour. This dose is very dangerous and shouldn’t be traded between people, especially teenagers. The brain-experience and reaction I had was totally horrifying and accompanied by hallucinations.

The digital drugs are real, and they’re not as safe as most users claim.

After my horrifying experience with “Gates of Hades” and the reaction that I lived for a whole hour I wanted to understand more how this could possibly happen to me. I researched more in books and on the Internet about binaural beats. I found a logical, scientific explanation that I would like to share with you. Based on the Monroe Institute for Neural Science‘s research for binaural beats:

“The sensation of auditory binaural beats occurs when two coherent sounds of nearly similar frequencies are presented, one to each ear, with stereo headphones or speakers. The brain integrates the two signals, producing a sensation of a third sound called the binaural beat. For example, if a frequency of 100 Hz is played in one ear and 107 Hz is played in the other ear, a binaural beat of 7 Hz is created by the brain. Brain waves match or “follow” the binaural beat. If the binaural beat is 7 Hz, an increase in the brain waves of 7 Hz occurs. Binaural beats originate in the brainstem’s superior olivary nucleus, the site of contralateral integration of auditory input. The binaural beat is neurologically conveyed to the reticular formation which uses neurotransmitters to initiate changes in brainwave activity.

Brain Waves & Consciousness:
Gamma ( above 40 Hz ) Alert anxiety and could lead to hallucinations.
Beta ( 13 - 26 Hz ) Alert concentration and problem-solving.
Alpha ( 8 - 13 Hz) Alert relaxation.
Theta ( 4 -7 Hz) Deep relaxation and increased learning.
Delta ( 1 - 3 Hz ) Deep Sleep.”

I also discovered that the binaural beats have been used in the movie making industry since forever, recently on a more advanced level, which is known as sound effects. Have you ever asked yourself why, every time you are watching a horror or action scene there is always that super-surround, high-pitched sound effect in the background? Yes, that’s right, welcome to the Gamma Brainwave! These sound effects trigger the Gamma brainwaves causing instant fear and anxiety. Later on, you might even experience nightmares, not because of what you saw — it’s because of the high frequency rate that was triggered in your brainwaves. It usually takes time to discharge its intensity to a lower level than 40 Hz. The reaction time lapse can differ from one person to another depending on the severity of that brainwave trigger they have been exposed to.

After my firsthand experience with this digital drug, or i-Doser, I can see that the use of this program during work hours should be a concern for employers. While some employees may just be trying to de-stress, the use of any “drug” to alter their states (and possibly their judgments) is alarming.

There are lots of opinions about this new i-Doser digital drugs. Some are skeptics, some are believers, and some are addicted to i-Dosing. It’s clear that these type of digital drugs should of concern in the work environment. The user must isolate himself from the surrounding environment — in other words, breaking away from the work team and allowing himself to fade into the background. This would affect the general production of any company. Further, the i-Doser application uses a very specific file extension that is dependent on on live broadcasting from different servers, which consumes a great amount of bandwidth on any network. It’s very similar to the music broadcasting software called Spotify, which most companies currently ban using the corporate firewall and the security policies on their Active Domain Servers.

The Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics has issued numerous warnings about i-Dosing and its dangerous side effects. Some countries in Europe, such as, France have issued new laws to ban i-Dosing. U.A.E and Lebanon in the Middle East have similar bans. These countries have taken serious counter measures against this new trend of Digital Drugs. Don’t you think it’s time to stop being skeptical and realize that it’s a real threat?

If you are concerned about the possibility of digital drugs on your company’s network, please call us at Everon (888-244-1748). Our team can review your network and recommend next steps for your systems.

August 14, 2014 Tony Cooper

An Explanation of Different Printer Setups for Different Types of Environments

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Hello. Someone asked me recently, “Why would I want to share out my printer, instead of installing it on every computer?” Thus, I want to discuss the different scenarios. There are many methods to use when it comes to printing; I am going to talk about some of the most common. This post is not to say what is right or wrong, or even a set of instructions on how to do something. Its sole purpose is to inform people on 3 of the most common printer setups that majority of people utilize. (If there is any confusion or you have questions, please reach out to a tech here at Everon — we can help clarify and even set up an new print environment.)

A print server environment is sort of like an octopus, with the server being the head, and the tentacles reaching out to all the other computers.

First off, I am going to talk about the most common business practice, and that is using a print server. In a print server environment there is a server that manages the printer and all the connections to this printer. The server stores the drivers needed for many OS types. The workstations will connect to the printer via the network share and will look at the server for the driver that that computer needs. This is probably the best way to manage your environment if there will be quite a few people utilizing it.

This shared printer version is sort of like when you’re a kid, and you want to get something from the ice cream man, but you need to go through mom to get the money.

In smaller environments where a server is not in place, some people still use a shared method, but in a different way. One computer will connect to the printer, use the internet or the disk provided for the driver, and then will share it out via the wireless/wired network. In this method, when you connect another workstation to the shared out printer, it will show as “Printer Name” (on WORKSTATION1-PC) with workstation1-pc being the computer it was installed on and shared out from. The downfall to this method is that any secondary workstation that is connected to the printer via the primary computer sharing it is fully dependent on that primary PC being powered on and logged in.

Thirdly, another (probably more common) setup in a smaller environment is local installations on every workstation. This one usually takes a while to setup. It consists of hooking up the printer to every workstation, installing the driver, telling the computer to use the printer via wireless, and then repeating this process on all the other computers. This allows all of the workstations to independently print via a wireless connection, and they are not looking at any other device or connection for their printing ability. This is common in most homes, too, for people sharing a printer.

Again, if you have any questions or would like a more in-depth run down, please contact Everon!

June 24, 2014 Tony Cooper

The Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Moving to a VoIP Solution

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Hello again! Being an engineer and being subjected to a lot of technology that is out there, it’s easy for us to see and understand the big picture. Recently, however, it has come to my attention that there are certain items that we (engineers) see as normal day-to-day things, that some people just do not have a full understanding of. One of these is Voice-over-Internet Protocol, or VoIP. So today I am going to give a run down of some Pros and Cons and a little background of what it is.

Pros

1) Consolidation of Services. VoIP uses your internal IP network (network connection) to pass and receive voice traffic instead of your copper PSTN (public switched telephone network) lines like so many people are used to. So instead of having a separate line that comes in specifically for your phones and internet, they both will share the same line to accomplish the tasks, allowing consolidation of services. This gets me into the pros of going with a VOIP solution.

2) Easier (and cheaper) bill-paying. Going with a VoIP solution not only lets you consolidate in the manner of less equipment and less wires, it also allows you to pay one company for both your voice and data services. This will leave less of a paper trail, carbon footprint, and one less check to write for the accounting team. While on the topic of cost effectiveness, making a phone call with a VoIP solution is cheaper — so cheap that it is the same cost to make a call as it is to send an email!

3) Voice mail. Sure, you have voice mail with your old phone system. And it is just as easy, if not easier, to set up and manage with VoIP as it is with your old phone line. But VoIP takes it a step further, allowing you to also setup voice mail to create emails. That way you can read your voice mails (and have the printed notes right in front of you), rather than trying to listen to them in a noisy place, or having to find a pen to jot down a recited phone number.

4) The ability to set up and use call forwarding. Another handy feature you’re already familiar with, call forwarding is standard with VoIP, whereas it was an extra charge with the older phone systems/providers.

5) Calls are easily recorded and monitored. This is great for those conference calls that not everyone can make, but they still need the info. It’s also a good way to check up on your employees and give them additional training, if needed, or have proof to back them up in the case of customer disputes.

6) Mobility. You can move your phone anywhere, including doing a complete reconfiguration of where everyone sits in your office, or you could even take your office phone home, or to Canada, and you would still have the ability to keep the same phone number and functionality with your base VoIP phone unit.

7) Connectivity. Many companies use their VoIP solution to hold and accommodate voice/video conferencing which is a more cost effective way to bring people from all over the world together. Sounding pretty good, eh?

Cons

Just like everything else in this world, not all that glitters is gold. With positives, there will always be negatives, hence “pros and cons.” Even though the list of cons is much shorter, I still feel it is my duty to make you aware of them so you can make an educated decision when talking about phone systems.

8) Hackers and viruses. Like anything that uses the internet for functionality, there is always a threat of being hacked and/or malicious attacks such as viruses. Yes, even phone systems can obtain viruses and can be hacked, with the hackers intercepting phone calls and tracking outbound/inbound calls. It is unfortunate that we have to worry about even our phones being hacked, and there are protective measures you can take to prevent this from happening. But that’s another-day conversation.

9) Reliability of usage. Another thing to take into consideration is the reliability. There are 2 parts to this so stick with me here. The first part is the reliability of usage. Since VoIP uses the same line as your internet, if the power goes out, a piece of networking equipment fails, or the ISP has an outage, you will not be able to use your phones just as you cannot surf the web at this time.

10) Reliability of quality. Secondly, if you do not take the time or spend the extra bit of money to ensure that your network is up-to-date and in a good spot, the quality of service on the phones can diminish. If your internet runs slow on a normal basis, your phone quality will be poorer than that of a healthy and fast network. There can be “choppiness,” delays, drops, and even static. Something to take into consideration if you have been prolonging the network overhaul that is needed.

With all these thoughts, I hope that you feel at least comfortable enough to start a conversation with a VoIP provider in order to get more information about them. Here at Everon we are not a VoIP provider, per se, but we can answer questions and can help facilitate a transition to the service. Feel free to reach out to us by phone, website, Twitter, Facebook, etc. Cheers!

March 25, 2014 Frank Lindsey

Common tech support calls: Locked Out

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Although we, here at Everon, get hundreds of calls a week, there are a few issues that seem to pop up more than others. Most of these are pretty easy to resolve yourself. Or even to prevent from happening. Today I will talk about one of them:

Locked Out (Password does not work)
This is a very common issue with several different causes. Each cause has different things for you to keep in mind.

“I typed a wrong password too many times and I am locked out.”
- This is a simple fix IF you know your password. All we need to do is unlock your account on the server.
- If you do not remember you password see “I forgot my password,” below.
“I forgot my password.”
- This is also a simple fix BUT there are other things to consider:
  - If you receive office email on your cellphone you MUST change your password on the phone immediately after the reset. If not, it will lock you out after failing several times.
  - We cannot see your password, we can only change it.
“I have a laptop and I am not in the office.”
- For password changes to take effect on your laptop, you MUST be attached to
  your office network. This allows the server to sync password with the laptop.

In the next blog in this series, I will discuss common printing and home networking issues.

June 29, 2011 Everon TechTips 0

Label Your Wires

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The Problem:

We’ve all seen it and we’ve all done it. A rat’s nest of wires stuck between your desk and the wall. Afterall, no one is ever going to see it and by the time you ever need to get back there, you’ll just pay someone to clean it all up…or so you think.

Fast forward a few years and that rat’s nest has been repeated with all your employee’s desks and in your server room.

Still not much of a problem … until…one of your employees can’t get on the company network or can’t retreive that important email.

Now what do you do?

You or someone you hire crawls behind the desk to check the wires and everything looks ok. The computer is plugged into the right jack in the wall. But where does that wall jack connect to exactly?

You rush to that even bigger rat’s nest of wires somewhere near your server and there it is. A rat’s nest of wires. Which one is connected to that employee’s computer? You flash back to the conversation with the cable guy “What’s this line itme on yor quote for labeling?” “Why do I need that?” “Can we just skip it and do it later?” Well it’s later and its still not done.

Sound familiar or do you fear you’re heading down this path? Don’t.

Here’s what you need to do.

Make sure that all of your company’s jacks have a number on them (and make sure they are never painted over).

Make sure this number corresponds to the same number where all your jacks terminate in your server room. Then you can clearly identify which cable is connected to that employee’s computer. Maybe it’s been knocked loose. Or it could have been chewed by an animal in the ceiling or wall. either way, a clearly labeled jack will save you a potentially major headache down the line.

A good cabling job will be obvious and will be well worth your time and money to maintain along the way rather than one day having to play catch up.